Western Michigan University president John Dunn has received one last raise before retirement. On Tuesday Western’s board agreed to increase Dunn’s salary by three percent, retroactive to last July, to about $410,000.
Board Chair Ken Miller says the raise reflects the board’s satisfaction with Dunn’s performance “while recognizing the need for fiscal conservatism in today’s economic times.”
Miller notes that the university’s other nonunion employees also received three-percent a raise in July.
The university says Dunn plans to donate the increase as he has done in previous years. The committee searching for his replacement says it hopes to start interviewing candidates in February or March.
Product design program
As announced at the Trustees’ meeting Tuesday, plans for an industrial design program at Western Michigan University have gotten a boost from a private donation. Philanthropists James and Lois Richmond say they’ll give $3 million to Western.
That money will be used to outfit two floors of Korhman Hall with studios and labs. Students will study fine arts and product design in partnership with a number of regional businesses.
The university plans to name the facility for the Richmonds, and aims to open the space in the summer of 2018.